Month: July 2008

We’ve covered the particulars and, yes, I do have holiday plans so I’m going to try and cut this a little short (selfish, I know).

But here are a few of the highlights from the earlier phone conference now that I’ve filed my print edition story.

*Dan Boyle didn’t try to hide his unhappiness with the Lightning’s new ownership — “I was misled and disrespected” — but he didn’t want to dwell on it either. Once he got over the shock of being pressured to waive his no-trade clause, he said he liked the idea of coming to San Jose, not only because of the team’s past performance, but also because he knew Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, and, in the minors, was a teammate of Evgeni Nabokov in Kentucky.

And it didn’t hurt that San Jose had just signed Rob Blake, a close buddy. Continue Reading →

FURTHER UPDATE: Ty Wishart is part of the deal, going to Tampa Bay along with Matt Carle, a first-round pick in 2009 and a fourth-round pick in 2010, for Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich.

UPDATE: The Sharks have scheduled the official phone conference with Doug Wilson for 2:15 p.m. Still no word on whether a prospect is involved in the likely trade, but stay tuned.

————————–

The official paperwork is still being prepared and that means there’s a chance that defenseman Dan Boyle could still change his mind, but at this moment the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman has agreed to waive the no-trade clause in his contract for the opportunity to play for the Sharks. Continue Reading →

The Sharks have signed veteran defenseman Rob Blake to a one-year, $5 million contract.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson declined to discuss the impending announcement of what will be the Sharks’ first free-agent signing of the summer, saying it was “a little premature.” But he didn’t shoot down the report that first surfaced on a Southern California web site.

Blake, 38, had nine goals and 31 points for the Kings last season. At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, he’s a physical presence who has won the Stanley Cup while playing in Colorado.

A Sharks source did say that Blake’s signing is not related to the team’s still-active pursuit of Tampa Bay defenseman Dan Boyle.

By now many of you probably have seen the comments from Doug Wilson in the story that appeared in this morning’s print edition. So you’re aware that in the Brian Campbell auction, geography wasn’t the only factor that prevented a deal from getting done, that Wilson recognizes the need to add an offensive presence on the blue line, and that he indicated that a trade — not a free agent pick-up — is the more likely method by which that could happen.

Here’s a little more of what Wilson had to say:

ON SETTING LIMITS: “We came in with certain parameters without the emotion that sometimes can be stirred by this free agent frenzy. We knew what we were willig to do and what we weren’t willing to do.”

ON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE LOSS: “It puts us where we were at the beginning of last season. If anything, we’re a better team now than we were at the beginning of the last season. . . . We’ve gained a year’s experience, there’s the excitement of Todd (McLellan) coming in.” Continue Reading →

I’ve been trying to reach just about everyone involved in the Campbell negotiations, with no luck so far.

But for those who missed it, here’s what he had to say to TSN during the Canadian sports network’s “Free Agent Frenzy” special:

“Obviously San Jose is first class and they have really good people that work for that organization so a part of me feels bad and a little guilty.

“I consider myself a pretty honest person and to leave people like that is very tough, though I was only there for a short time. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t work out there, but I don’t think I would have considered them if I hadn’t gone there.

“I’m happy I did go there, but, yeah, today’s a huge celebration for me and for everybody involved with me.” Continue Reading →

If TSN’s Bob McKenzie knows what he’s talking about, San Jose just lost Brian Campbell to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Earlier, McKenzie said the Sharks remains in the running for both Campbell and Wade Redden, but he is now reporting that Campbell is going to Chicago with an eight-year, $56.8 million contract.

The NHL Network is picking up TSN’s “Free Agent Frenzy” special programming and McKenzie initially said that Campbell has it down to three teams — Atlanta, Chicago and San Jose. Those same three teams along with the Rangers, Dallas, Calgary and Columbus are also looking at Redden, with the price about $1 million below the bidding for Campbell.

I always figured that I needed to have news to report before I fed the blog. If the Sharks make a move on Day One of the frenzy (not something they have ever done in the Doug Wilson regime), I’m on it. If Brian Campbell jumps ship, we’ll have it here. If any of the possible replacements — Wade Redden, Brooks Orpic, Michal Rozsival — are no longer available, that has bearing, too, and we can kick that around. So far today? None of the above.

I’ve tried to explain over the past year that I don’t see my role as to mindlessly stir things up with uneducated guesses. And I figured you guys obviously don’t need me to keep the conversation going on a day like today.

But if somebody needs reassurance that someone in the local media is paying attention today, well, maybe this will accomplish that. I’ve got the NHL Network on both TVs within earshot. Beyond that, I’m hitting the same web sites that I’m guessing most of you are. Continue Reading →